Is swift A-Frame going way of the dinosaur?

[pilar]

I have been looking for some swift .375 and when I get to looking it seems every caliber from .270 on up has a unavailable on the swift website, I presume swift has just made a choice to faze them out and ramp production of the Socorro
Also seems Speer has discontinued the grand slam in .375 ?

 

[375Fox]

If you are looking for loaded ammo Pendleton ammunition has them. If you are looking for an alternative I think North Fork SS is as close as you will get for quality bonded bullet. To my knowledge Federal hasn’t made any trophy bonded bear claws in large calibers since Covid either.

 

[Wheels]

I would doubt it. There shop isn't that big and they stay slammed and behind. Talking to them at DSC in January it sounded like they were selling everything they could make.

 

[Puddle]

I have been looking for some swift .375 and when I get to looking it seems every caliber from .270 on up has a unavailable on the swift website, I presume swift has just made a choice to faze them out and ramp production of the Socorro
Also seems Speer has discontinued the grand slam in .375 ?

- I would not run with that assumption.

- Sign up at Swift to be notified when the A-Frames are available. And when they are, buy what you think you need, and then triple the order.

- 'ol Bill Hober is gettin' on in years so I'm hoping a well thought out transition plan is in place for when he retires from the day-to-day stuff.

- I'm impressed with Speer's Impact bonded bullet, at least in .30-06. I'm keeping an eye out for their 9.3mm and .375 offerings down the road. Take a look.

 

[pilar]

If you are looking for loaded ammo Pendleton ammunition has them. If you are looking for an alternative I think North Fork SS is as close as you will get for quality bonded bullet. To my knowledge Federal hasn’t made any trophy bonded bear claws in large calibers since Covid either.

I think north fork and barns & Norma will get my business
Especially Norma &barns in my smaller calibers because they have factory loads in everything I shoot available regularly

Swift has dropped the ball imo , maybe someone will buy them out and move them from BFE Kansas to solve their labor shortage

 

[30.06king]

Agree that North Fork would be suitable to substitute for Swift A Frame. NF bonded bullets perform very well and reliably, shoot very accurately and the new owners are really coming through with production to supply the market, especially the USA market.
Mostly I personally shoot my all time favourites, Barnes TSX but North Forks do get a look in with some loads as they are just great bullets.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

To each their own but I would take custom hand loaded ammunition from Pendleton Ammunition before mass produced ammo from any of the manufacturers.

HH

 

[Nevada Mike]

I have 5 boxes of factory Federal .375 H&H loaded with 300 gr. Swift A Frame. I would sell them if you are interested. PM me.

 

[Bill J H]

I ordered 4 boxes (50ct) of 30 cal A-Frames this morning. Might fit a little loose in your 375

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I think north fork and barns & Norma will get my business
Especially Norma &barns in my smaller calibers because they have factory loads in everything I shoot available regularly

Swift has dropped the ball imo , maybe someone will buy them out and move them from BFE Kansas to solve their labor shortage

If you keep an eye on Swift's website, you may find when they pop up there. I've been doing that for my .470NE, and I've now got a lifetime's worth

 

[Just a dude in BC]

I will throw in another vote for North Fork. In all honesty I think they are a slightly better bullet anyways.

 

[sgt_zim]

For the DG bullets, I don't believe I've ever seen an "out of stock" for 286 gr .366 bullets at Swift. I have lots of those on the shelf above the loading bench.

Along with NF, I'd suggest you guys also look at Hammer bullets. About all you need to make copper mono is a supply of copper bar stock and functional lathes. They have a good selection of 375, 416 and 423. I think their 458 bullets are lacking - I don't even believe they make a 500 gr.

 

[steve white]

Never thought anyone would bail on A frames!

 

[sgt_zim]

Never thought anyone would bail on A frames!

I haven't, they just haven't been available in .284 or .423. I'm quite pleased the way they performed recently on a cape buffalo, wildebeest, and zebra out of my 9.3x62.

But a bird in hand is worth 2 in the bush.

 

[375Fox]

Never thought anyone would bail on A frames!

I don’t think anyone is. The choice is Pick an alternate or don’t hunt. Swift needs to produce some bullets to keep the market, if they even want to keep it.

 

[Hunter4752001]

If covid taught us one thing, it is that the world is an unstable place and supply chains are unreliable. For me the choice is not what bullet is best, but what is the best bullet that can be relied on to be available,

For my last Africa hunt, I had chosen a preferred bullet. I spoke to the rep for the importing company two years in advance and was assured that they had a shipment on the way. Nothing ever arrived. With only a month to go I had to buy a brand that at least was available off the shelf, develop a load and work out trajectories. Never again.

 

[sgt_zim]

I don’t think anyone is. The choice is Pick an alternate or don’t hunt. Swift needs to produce some bullets to keep the market, if they even want to keep it.

This is the problem for Swift. If I end up getting great loads with NF or Hammer, I'm not going to go back and do LD with A Frames for my 280 AI and 404J of they are suddenly available, and those will be the loads I go with for the rest of my life (assuming NF and Hammer are available the rest of my life).

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

This is the problem for Swift. If I end up getting great loads with NF or Hammer, I'm not going to go back and do LD with A Frames for my 280 AI and 404J of they are suddenly available, and those will be the loads I go with for the rest of my life (assuming NF and Hammer are available the rest of my life).

If it helps, I find that the NF bonded cores usually will shoot as accurate or better as your A-Frame load with the same powder but about 1 - 1.5 grains less.

 

[Puddle]

If NorthFork gets their US distribution chain humming, they can give Swift a run for the money. However, they're a small operation as well.

I've also been stingy with my stash of Weldcores & Hydros. No practice sessions using those.

Options are always good ....

 

[sgt_zim]

If it helps, I find that the NF bonded cores usually will shoot as accurate or better as your A-Frame load with the same powder but about 1 - 1.5 grains less.

I need no convincing. I just received a couple boxes of NF 175s in .284. No LD yet, but my 280AI is going to be the perfect rifle for the missus on our next trip back to Africa. Scoped, it's right at 9 lbs, so she won't have to worry about recoil.

I brought the 9.3x62 and 6.5x55 on my trip last month, will upgrade in caliber to 280 and 404 for the next trip, which is unfortunately looking like '27 so my-son-the-surgical-resident can come with (he finishes residency in June '27).